OTAGO MOTOR CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 15539, 8 July 1914, Page 2

OTAGO MOTOR CLUB

Tbs. Otago Motor Club held their monthly meeting last evening, Mr A. E. Ansell presiding over an attendance of about 25 members.

The Portobello Road Board wrote asking the club if they were still prepared to supply the necessary sign posts, etc., for regulating .motor traffic. About 40 of these would be required.—The Roads Committee recommended that as they understood that the board were ordering all necessary signs there was no necessity/for the club going to the expense of procuring any. —This matter evoked considerable discussion, and several members expressed the opinion that the club should supply the signs provided the board erected them in accordance with the club's wishes. It was much desired that the recognised sign should be adopted by the board. Eventually a motion an these lines was carried. The Clerk of the Waikonaiti County Council wrote stating that their inspector was preparing a report on the dangerous state ot & corner on the Kvlmog Hill, and the council’s bv-Jaw providing for a penalty of £5 in the case ol a person driving an nblighted vehicle- was to be enforced. 'The writer also a,sked for the club’s promised contribution of £2O towards the metalling of the Mount Cargill road, —The Chairman expreseed approval of the council having met the club so fairly in the matter of unlighted vehicles. It was decided that the donation of £2O towards tho metalling of tho Mount Cargill road should be paid over, and the' 1 council’s attention he drawn to certain holes in the road which require filling in. The Clerk ol the Clutha ‘ County Council wrote acknowledging the receipt of the sum of £4O towards metalling a, portion of the road between . Bald utha and Clinton, this amount to be expended 'in two yeqgly contributions of £2o.—Received, Mr Munro slat-lug that the Defence Department was approaching the Government with a view to having the. whole roach between Invercargill and Dunedin put in a better condition.

Mr F. V. Thomas (Christchurch), holder of the cup for the mile championship, wrote stating that he had noticed- the altered regulations under which this cup was to be contested for—namely, that the distance should be run from north to south and then from south to north, and the mean time of each taken. He expressed Ids willingness to compete at any time in the future for the new cup presented by Mr K. Wilson under the altered conditions. —Deceived. —Taxation of Motor Vehicles.—

The Chairman referred to tho matter of motor taxation, which, he stated, would be brought up in the very near I'liUne, It was exercising the minds of a good number of county councillors, and would come under discussion at the approaching Municipal Conference. Tho general question of motor traffic would bo considered, and he thought the club should do their best to guide the tax into the proper channels and see that the money so raised should go towards improving the roads. The question of licensed drivers would also be discussed, and he certainly thought every driver should be licensed. The various methods of apportioning this tax were das censed at length, and Mr Roberts suggested that tho club should affiliate with the New Zealand Automobile Association and work hand and hand with them. Mr M'Dougall moved—“ That the club endeavor to secure -a wheel tax upon all vehicular traffic, and tho committee nush the matter forward as fast as possible." Mr Munro seconded the motion, which was carried. It was then decided, on the motion of Mr J.. R. M’K-enzie—"That a sub-committee consisting ot Messrs Ansell, Roberts, C. S. Smith, E. Anscornbo, and G. T. Thorne be appointed to go into the whole matter of motor taxation generally, and affiliation with the New Zealand Automobile Association." —General.— The Rond Committee's ivqwrt was adopted without discussion, and it was decided to thank the Hnwera Borough Council for the information they had supplied with reference to a new preparation for binding the roads. It was decided that the annual presentation of prizes and the annual meeting should Ire held in September, and should be folloMd by a social function, _ At the close of the general business, a paper on ‘Road-making,’ by Mr _ Anscombe, .was road, and was closely listened to by all present, the writer being thanked for his paper.